Ilex

(Holly)
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What you need to know as a florist about the Ilex

  • Colourful splendour

    The dark green leaves of the Ilex create a lush and vibrant appearance, while the bright red berries are a striking contrast.

  • Stylish applications

    The Ilex is impressive and unique. The leaves are spiny and have a beautiful dark green colour.

  • Symbolic meaning

    The Ilex symbolises hope and friendship, and it is often used as a decoration during festive occasions.

All about the Ilex

The cultivation and breeding of Ilex, also known as Holly, requires patience, a lot of patience. But then it yields something special: branches brimming with berries, from bright red to lemon yellow. The holly comes into its own especially at Christmas and is therefore widely used at this time.

The name Ilex is derived from the Latin name for holm oak (Quercus ilex). The leaves bear some resemblance. The second name 'verticillata' means wreath-shaped. This refers to the position of the leaves, but they are already off. All attention to the berries! Only the female shrubs of Ilex verticillata form berries. Nevertheless, there are also male plants in every nursery. These are needed for pollination and berry formation, where growers are helped by bees. Literally the story of the flowers and bees.

The cultivation of Ilex is special because of its two-year cycle. In the first year, the shrub only produces branches. In the second year - in spring - small flowers follow. When these are pollinated, they grow into berries. For this you need pollinators; hence the hives in the field. In the berry year, the plants are also staked around (with a spade or machine). This gives them a hard time for a while, resulting in nice short side branches and densely packed berries. After harvesting the berry branches, the two-year cycle starts again.

Sales inspiration for the florist

The Ilex is a beautiful flower often used in Christmas bouquets and winter flower arrangements. You can find more inspiration here.

Sales advice for the florist

In-store sales advice for Ilex

There are several techniques you can apply to the Ilex. Think of making arrangements, a bouquet, a mono-bouquet or drying.

Presentation

The Ilex has a striking look that adds colour and texture to any floral arrangement. The red berries create a vibrant and festive atmosphere.

Sustainability

The leaves and berries have a firm texture and retain their freshness over a long period of time, even without much water or care. This makes the Ilex ideal for flower arrangements that need to last a certain time.

Versatility

Ilex branches can be used as a basic structure for a floral arrangement or as decorative accents in bouquets. Moreover, the bright red berries of the Ilex can serve as eye-catchers.

Meaning

When choosing the right bouquet, it is important to consider the meaning of the Ilex. Ideal for special occasions. Read the meaning of the flower under 'Product information'.

Give care tips

Give advice on caring for Ilex, so the customer knows how to keep the flowers fresh for as long as possible. Read the care tips under 'Care' for the best advice.

Inspiring stories from growers, florists and experts

The '365 days of flowers' campaign is an initiative of the promotion committee 365 days of flowers, part of Royal FloraHolland. Over 1,800 growers from 15 different countries make this possible. They grow over 150 different flowers, which are promoted throughout the year based on Royal FloraHolland's availability dates. The objective of the '365 days of flowers' campaign is to jointly develop sales opportunities for florists.

Collaborate? We can be reached at [email protected] .

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